“Oh, Iimagine.It’s a shame.He used to be almost as handsome as me, in a broodingsort of way.”The cloud drifted back.“When we talked through the soul capture,he told me exactly what had happened to you, and what he would do to me.Theway he talked about your training....”
Isaacdidn’t answer.
“Well,”Caine said.There was a shiver through the gas, like a cleared throat.“Smashing the old metal is good enough.The Archons can’t resurrect thecolossus without a frankly eye-watering amount of energy, and, even if theytry, the Diet regulators will inevitably discover any attempts to mimic thisempire’s industrial capacity, or its source of transmutational energy.Theywill demand the research halted.At least, that is what should happen.I amgetting the feeling that, up there, people no longer remember the Scorching aswell as they should.”
Isaac’sknees were aching from kneeling at the dais.The pain from his wounds was stillclawing at his thoughts, scattering all the words.
“Isaac.”
Hewatched the soul as it drifted to the front of the device, condensing into aball.
“Seethat button down there?The big one?”
Isaaclooked at the large red button he had noticed earlier.
“It’s arelease catch,” Caine said.“It’ll drop the barrier.That’s the only thingkeeping me together.I’ll just ...drift away.Nothing else.”
Thebutton was a large, chipped circle on the front of the cylinder.Around it, allthe gauges were still slowly drifting down.Some of the labels translated towords like pressure, integrity, and reserve.
Theloss of power seemed to be accelerating.
“If youwant to,” Caine added.“If you want to ask me anything, go ahead.If you wantto ...tell me anything, then feel free.Anything you want.”
“Areyou saying I should kill you?”
“I’monly giving you the option.”
Isaacbegan to gesture, but the sling stopped his arm.“What am I supposed to say?”
“That’sup to you.”
“Areyou not even going to apologize?”
“Wouldit make you feel better?”
Isaaclooked away, blinking until his vision was clear.
“If itwould,” Caine said, “then I’ll do it until the sun burns dry.I just ...didn’t think you’d want me to.This isn’t about me.”
“It’snot about you?”
“It’snot about what I want, is what I mean.”
“Thisisabout your wants.That is the entire reason I’m here.”
The cloudrose above the device, the face inside climbing toward his eyes.Dust sparkledthrough the gas.
“Youknow,” Isaac said, “I never planned a speech.Mostly, I imagined you would betalking, like you have been now.I neverwantedto say anything, really.I just wanted to hear you speak.”
Hepaused, watching the accretion of dust.
“I wasafraid, walking in here.I was afraid that you would be like him.Like Berith.Every time I’ve ever spoken, every time I’ve done anything that wasn’t anorder, I have been scared.Even now, you tell me I can say anything, and Istill don’t want to, just because I’mscaredit’ll be wrong.”
Heshifted on his knees, wincing at his burned thigh.The pain made him clench hisfists.
“It’snever been about what I want,” Isaac said.“Every moment of my life has beenabout serving others, through training and chores and just nodding my head towhatever I was told.It’s a foreign concept, even thinking of my own needs.Every instinct screams at me to stop and turn and flee back to the safety ofobedience.And now you’re telling me that I’m free to do anything?You’retelling me I cankill youif it’d make me feel better?”
Dustcurled in the air, smelling faintly of death.
